Handle structure

ABSTRACT

A handle structure attached to the free end of a towline or rope to enable the same to be releasably gripped by one using the same. The handle structure is especially useful for water skiing, and it functions to augment or enhance the natural grip of the skier and to quickly release the grip when necessary. The handle structure may be in the form of a single unit sufficiently large to be gripped by both hands, and includes a handhold component adapted to be gripped by each hand of a skier. A compression member movable with respect to the handhold component and urged theretoward into compressive engagement with the fingers of a hand grips the same whenever a tensile force is applied to the towline. The compression member is segmented and includes independently rotatable sections rollingly engageable, respectively, with the fingers of the opposite hands to permit separate release thereof.

United States Patent [191 Humbert HANDLE STRUCTURE [76] Inventor: Jack M. Humbert, 7412 Cushman Court, Citrus Heights, Orangevale, Calif. 95662 [22] Filed: Dec. 13, 1971 [21] App]. No.: 207,402

Related US. Application Data [63] Continuation-impart of Ser. No. 21,437, March 20,

1970, Pat. No. 3,626,892.

[ 51 May 22, 1973 Primary Examiner-Milton Buchller Assistant Examiner-6. D. Basinger Attorney-Joseph B. Gardner [57] ABSTRACT A handle structure attached to the free end of a towline or rope to enable the same to be releasably gripped by one using the same. The handle structure is especially useful for water skiing, and it functions to augment or enhance the natural grip of the skier and to quickly release the grip when necessary. The handle structure may be in the form of a single unit sufficiently large to be gripped by both hands, and includes a handheld component adapted to be gripped by each hand of a skier. A compression member movable with respect to the handhold component and urged theretoward into compressive engagement with the fingers of a hand grips the same whenever a tensile force is applied to the towline. The compression member is segmented and includes independently rotatable sections rollingly engageable, respectively, with the fingers of theopposite hands to permit separate release thereof.

6 Claims, 3 Drawing; Figures PATENTEU HAY 2 2 I973 FIG. 3

HANDLE STRUCTURE RELATED APPLICATION This application is a continuation in part of my copending patent application, Ser. No. 21,437, filed March 20, 1970, now U.S. Pat. No. 3,626,892.

This invention relates generally to handle structures adapted for use at the end of a towline, rope, or the like, and it relates more particularly to a handle structure attached to the free end of a water skiing towline so as to enable the same to be gripped by a skier. The handle structure is useful in other environments, however, such as bronco riding and similar activities where quick release and gripping assist are desirable.

Considering water skiing as an exemplary environment, one or more towlines are attached to a boat and are payed outwardly therefrom so that the free ends thereof are remote from the boat. The free end portions of the towlines are equipped with handle structure that enable a skier to hold onto the towline and be accelerated through the water as the boat moves forwardly. Usually, the handle structures are relatively buoyant so that they are easily located and gripped by a skier preparatory to being pulled through the water.

The conventional handle structures now in use are little more than a round bar that can be gripped by the skier and attached at its ends to a towline. It has been found that it is sometimes difficult for a skier to maintain an adequate grip on the handle structure especially during the initial stages of forward acceleration when his legs and lower trunk are being pulled through the water in an effort to impart a velocity sufficient to enable the skier to glide along the upper surface portion of the water. A rather strong grip is required at this time in order to maintain control of the handle structure, and it has been found that children and heavier adults often do not have the required strength to main tain control of the handle structures at this time. Also, a good firm grip on the handle structure must be maintained by the skier as he is pulled along the water, and at least with some individuals this requirement quickly causes hand and arm fatigue.

In view of the foregoing, an object, among others, of the present invention is to provide an improved handle structure for a towline, rope, or the like such as those used in water skiing, bronco riding, and similar activities.

Another object of the invention is that of providing an improved handle structure of the character described which is operative both to augment or enhance the grip of the user so as to facilitate the control he can maintain over the handle structure, and to permit ready quick release therefrom, when necessary or desirable. Still another object is in the provision of improved handle structure of the type explained that is of bipartite construction and includes a handhold component adapted to be gripped by the hand of a skier and a sectional compression member bodily movable with respect thereto and urged toward the handhold component and into compressive engagement with the fingers of a hand gripping the same by the tensile force imparted to the associated towline whenever the boat and skier are accelerated forwardly; the sections of the compression member being independently rotatable with respect to each other and to the handhold component to permit separate release of the hands respectively engaged by such sections. Additional objects and advantages of the invention, especially as concerns particular features and characteristics thereof, will become apparent as the specification continues.

An embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a broken perspective view illustrating use by a water skier of handle structure embodying the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a broken perspective view illustrating use by a bronco rider of handle structure embodying the invention; and

FIG. 3 is an enlarged, broken longitudinal sectional view taken through the various elements of the handle structure along the longitudinal axes thereof.

As indicated hereinbefore, the present invention is especially adapted for use by water skiers, and it constitutes handle structure attached to the end or ends of a towline so as to enable the same to be held by a water skier. The function of the handle structure is to implement the natural grip of the skier so as to facilitate the ease with which he or she can hold the towline, but without inhibiting the freedom of the skier to release the towline whenever this should be necessary or desirable. Handle structure embodying the present invention may constitute a single handle structure adapted to be gripped by both hands of a water skier (or other user), as shown in FIG. 1. The water skier shown in FIG. 1 is denoted with the numeral 10, and she is provided with water skis 11 and 12 which may be wholly conventional and form no part of the present invention.

The handle structure gripped by the opposite hands of the skier 10 is denoted in its entirety with the numeral 14. The handle structure 14 is attached to a towline, the opposite lengths of which are denoted with the numerals 15 and 15' and at their opposite ends (not shown) are attachedto a boat which is pulling the skier 10 and thereby imparts a tensile force to each of the towline lengths 15 and 15'.

Referring to FIG. 3, the handle structure 14 is seen to comprise a handhold component 16 which is adapted to be gripped by the hands of the skier 10, and is sufficiently long to accommodate concurrent hand gripping. The structure 14 further comprises a compression member 17 that is extendable along the handhold component 16 and is oriented in substantial parallelism therewith. The compression member 17 is bodily movable with respect to the handhold component 16 between the closed position shown in FIGS. 1 and 3 in which it is in close proximity with the handhold component so as to bear against the fingers of the hands gripping the same, and a release position (not shown) spaced from the handhold component 16 so as to enable the same to be gripped by the hands of the skier 10. The position of the compression member 17 relative to the handhold component 16 is determined by the magnitude of the tensile force developed along the towline 15,15, and when the force is great the compression member 17 will be urged toward the handhold component 16, and as the magnitude of the tensile force decreases toward zero, the force urging the compression member 17 toward the handhold component 16 will diminish therewith in a substantially linear relationship.

The handhold component 16 includes an elongated, axially extending tube 18 that is hollow and rigid. The tube 18 may be formed of any suitable material which usually will be one of the synthetic plastics or a relatively noncorrosive metal such as aluminum. Advantageously, the entire handhold component 16 is relatively lightweight and a material having a relatively low density is preferred. The component may include a resilient cover (not shown) enclosing the tube 18 in coaxial circumjacent relation therewith to provide a soft or yieldable grip to be grasped by the hand of the skier 10.

End closures or plugs 20 and 20 are press fitted within the ends of the hollow tube 18 to close the same and make it buoyant. The tube 18 and plug 20,20 at each end thereof are respectively provided with aligned openings 21 and 22 defining a generally U-shaped passage through which the towline extends and within which it is confined by a post or guide means24 provided by the plug. Each post 24,24 is in the nature of a fixed sheave permitting the towline to slide thereover as the compression member 17 is displaced bodily relative to the handhold component 16. The guide means 24,24 are therefore operative to pass the towline therethrough while effectively reversing the direction of the end portions 15 and 15' and affording relative movement therebetween so that a tensile force applied to the towline by a boat pulling the same will cause the compression member 17 to be urged toward the handhold component 16 and into compressive engagement with the fingers of the hands of the skier gripping the same.

The compression member 17 includes a hollow, elongated core 26 providing a central passage 27 therethrough, and it further includes a rotatably sleeve 28 coaxially circumjacent the core 26 and freely rotatable with respect thereto. The core 26 is a relatively rigid component formed of plastic or metal, aluminum in the case shown, having sufficient strength to prevent bending along the length of the compression member. The sleeve 28 is also a relatively rigid component, formed of plastic in the structure illustrated; and it is enclosed by a resilient cover 30 which may be formed of sponge rubber or plastic foam and affords a relatively soft surface for compressive engagement with the fingers of the skier 10.

In more particular terms, the compression member 17 is an elongated component so as to extend generally from end portion to end portion of the handhold component 16, and it is of sufficient length to engage the two hands of the skier 10, as illustrated in FIG. 1. The core 26 is a unitary element extending from end to end of the compression member 17, but the sleeve 28 and cover 30 are segmented or sectioned so as to be structurally independent of each other and therefore freely rotatable with respect to each other and with respect to the core 26. This enables the hands of the skier 10 to be separately released from the handle structure 14.

The compression member 17 further includes a pair of roller-like abutments 31,31 respectively disposed adjacent the opposite ends thereof. The abutments 31 are relatively stiff or firm components adapted to engage the handhold component 16 to limit the extent to which the compression member 17 can be displaced against the handhold component so as to limit the compressive force applied against the fingers of the skiers hands. The abutments 31 may be made of any material having the desired degree of resistance, and in the particular form shown are made of hard rubber. The abutments 31,31 are mounted upon the core 26 and constrained against removal therefrom by outwardly swaged end portions 32,32 provided by the core, and

which end portions are disposed along the outer surfaces of the abutments. The inner surfaces of the abutments 31,31 are insubstantial engagement with the adjacent ends of the sleeve sections 28,28 and of the cover sections 30,30, the latter of which have laterally projecting flanges 34,34 which both stabilize the abutments and cushion the hands of the skier from engagement therewith.

The towline extends continuously through the hollow interior 27 of the core 26, and the outwardly flared end portions 32,32 accommodate any relative movement between the towline and compression member. However, any such relative movement is generally of a restricted character once the handle structure 14 is operatively associated with the towline 15,15 since it is only necessary that the towline move relative to the handhold component 16 as the compression member 17 is displaced toward and away from the handhold component. The movement permitted between the towline 15,15 and the handle structure components 16 and 17 automatically equalizes the tensile force applied to the handle structure from the boat via the towline.

In the use of the handle structure 14, the skier 10 grasps the handhold component 16 preparatory to having the towline 15,15 tensioned by the forward motion of the boat attached thereto. Since the towline is slack when the handle structure is first gripped by the skier, there is no difficulty in gripping the handhold component 16 with the hands in spaced apart relation therealong because the fingers can readily slip between the handhold component and the respective sections 28,30 and 28,30 of the compression member 17. The hands will be located along the component 16, and with reference to the compression member 17 in the manner illustrated in FIG. 1.

As the boat moves forwardly and the towline 15,15 is tensioned, the compression member 17 is drawn toward the handhold component 16 so that the cover sections 30,30 are urged into compressive engagement with the fingers of the hands of the skier 10. In this respect, as the lengths 15 and 15 of the towline are tensioned (ie., drawn upwardly as shown in FIG. 3), such tensile force is reversed in direction by the posts or guide means 24 and 24' with the result that the tensile force is directed against the compression member 17 and core 26 thereof so as to cause the same to move toward the handhold component and bear against the fingers gripping the same.

Accordingly, the grip imparted to the handhold component 16 is augmented or enhanced by the compressive force defined by the compression member 17 which presses against the fingers of the skiers hands. The combined action of the grip and compressive force enables the skier to maintain tight control over the handle structure for relatively long periods without excessive fatigue, and it also inhibits the tendency to be stripped from the grip of the skier during those periods of acceleration particularly in the case of the skier being a child that does not have a strong grip or a heavy person which has considerable inertia which must be overcome in being accelerated in forward motion.

Whenever it is necessary or desirable for the skier 10 to release the handle structure 14, his grip on the handhold component 16 is released and the compressive force formerly applied to the compression member 17 is converted into rolling friction which has a very low value and enables one or the other or both of the sections 28,30 and 28,30' to ride freely over the backs of the fingers. The independent permissible rotational movement of the sections 28,30 and 28,30' enables the skier to release one hand but not the other, should this be desirable; and it also accommodates any inequality in the rates at which the grip is released as between the two hands of the skier. Accordingly, there is no tendency for the skin along the hands and fingers to be burned by the unequal pull therebetween, and the handle structure can be released as readily as if the compression member 17 were not present. Also, the abutments 31,31 establish a positive limit on the magnitude of the compressive force that can be applied against the fingers which is advantageous generally and especially with women and children.

In FIG. 2, another use for the handle structure is illustrated, and the particular use depicted is that of providing a handle for a bronco rider. In this instance, the rider a is seated bareback upon the bronco, and the rope a is cinched about the torso of the bronco, adjacent the front legs thereof. The handle structure 14a is disposed in front of the rider 100 so that he can grip the handle structure with one or both hands in accordance with his technique. The tension developed will cause the compression member of the handle structure to be displaced toward the handhold component thereof, all as previously described, so as to assist the rider in maintaining control over the handle structure because of the compressive force applied against his fingers. When necessary, the handle structure can be quickly and effortlessly released without burning or otherwise injuring the skin of the hands and fingers.

Evidently then, in all uses of the handle structure, the natural grip is supplemented or enhanced by the action of the handle structure and, in particular, the compression member 17 thereof bears against the fingers of each hand when a tensile force is applied to the rope or towline with which the handle structure is associated. However, the handle structure can be released quickly and easily simply by having the skier or other user relax his grip of the handhold component 16, whereupon the handle structure is withdrawn from the hand with the sections 28,30 and 28'30' of the compression member moving freely along the back of the associated hand or hands.

While in the foregoing specification an embodiment of the invention has been described in considerable detail for purposes of making a complete disclosure thereof, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that numerous changes may be made in such details without departing from the spirit and principles of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A handle structure for a water skiing towline or the like, comprising an elongated handhold component adapted to be gripped by the hands of a user, a compression member extendable along said handhold component in substantial parallelism therewith for movement with respect thereto between a closed position in proximity therewith to bear against the fingers of one gripping said handhold component and a release position spaced therefrom to enable the same to be gripped, fastener means provided by said compression member for attaching a towline thereto so that a force can be transferred from the towline to the compression member, and guide means provided by said handhold component for passing such towline therethrough while effectively reversing the direction thereof and affording relative movement therebetween so that a tensile force applied to such towline by a boat pulling the same will cause said compression member to be urged toward said handhold component and into compressive engagement with the fingers of a hand gripping the same, said compression member including an elongated core and a sleeve rotatably supported thereon in coaxial circumjacent relation therewith, said sleeve being segmented and providing independently rotatable sections adapted to respectively engage the hands and fingers of such user.

2. The handle structure of claim 1 and further comprising abutment structure operative to limit movement of said compression member toward said handhold component.

3. The handle structure of claim 2 in which said compression member also includes a segmented resilient cover respectively enclosing said sleeve sections to provide a relatively soft surface engageable with the fingers of one gripping said handhold component.

4. The handle structure of claim 2 in which said compression member is provided with a longitudinally extending passage through which such towline extends and comprising the aforesaid fastener means.

5. The handle structure of claim 2 in which said handhold component is a hollow elongated tube closed at its ends and providing the aforesaid guide means adjacent the ends thereof.

6. The handle structure of claim 2 in which said guide means includes an arcuate passage adjacent each end of said handhold component so as to slidably pass such towline therethrough. 

1. A handle structure for a water skiing towline or the like, comprising an elongated handhold component adapted to be gripped by the hands of a user, a compression member extendable along said handhold component in substantial parallelism therewith for movement with respect thereto between a closed position in proximity therewith to bear against the fingers of one gripping said handhold component and a release position spaced therefrom to enable the same to be gripped, fastener means provided by said compression member for attaching a towline thereto so that a force can be transferred from the towline to the compression member, and guide means provided by said handhold component for passing such towline therethrough while effectively reversing the direction thereof and affording relative movement therebetween so that a tensile force applied to such towline by a boat pulling the same will cause said compression member to be urged toward said handhold component and into compressive engagement with the fingers of a hand gripping the same, said compression member including an elongated core and a sleeve rotatably supported thereon in coaxial circumjacent relation therewith, said sleeve being segmented and providing independently rotatable sections adapted to respectively engage the hands and fingers of such user.
 2. The handle structure of claim 1 and further comprising abutment structure operative to limit movement of said compression member toward said handhold component.
 3. The handle structure of claim 2 in which said compression member also includes a segmented resilient cover respectively enclosing said sleeve sections to provide a relatively soft surface engageable with the fingers of one gripping said handhold component.
 4. The handle structure of claim 2 in which said compression member is provided with a longitudinally exTending passage through which such towline extends and comprising the aforesaid fastener means.
 5. The handle structure of claim 2 in which said handhold component is a hollow elongated tube closed at its ends and providing the aforesaid guide means adjacent the ends thereof.
 6. The handle structure of claim 2 in which said guide means includes an arcuate passage adjacent each end of said handhold component so as to slidably pass such towline therethrough. 